1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hose locks, and more particularly to hose locks for wet/dry vacuum cleaners requiring a sealed connection to prevent leakage.
2. Description of Related Art
Vacuum appliances capable of picking up both wet and dry material, commonly referred to as wet/dry vacuums or wet/dry vacs, are often used in workshops and other environments where both wet and dry debris can accumulate. Wet/dry vacs conventionally consist of a collection tank or canister, sometimes mounted on wheels or casters, and a powerhead within which a motor and impeller assembly is mounted. The motor and impeller assembly creates suction within the canister, such that debris and/or liquid is drawn in to the canister through an air inlet to which a flexible hose can be attached. A filter within the canister prevents incoming debris from escaping from the canister while allowing filtered air to escape. Any liquid drawn into the canister is diffused and accumulates on the bottom of the canister.
With known wet/dry vacs, the hose is typically attached to the air inlet via a friction fit. Ordinarily, the connection end of the hose is tapered, and the tapered end is simply inserted into the air inlet until the two parts mate. The friction between the hose and the air inlet is relied upon to hold the hose in place. It is important to have a sealed connection between the hose and the air inlet, because any air leaks thereabout reduce the suction through the hose, degrading performance. Unfortunately, wet/dry vacs employing a hose connection using a purely friction fit often have problems with the hose connection leaking, or inadvertently disconnecting.
One common attempted remedy for this problem is to insert the end of the hose into the air inlet forcefully, such that the hose end is mated very tightly with the air inlet. However, this type of connection is often unsatisfactory for users, since it is difficult to discern whether the connection is tight enough to prevent leaks and disconnections. Further, if the hose end is mated with the air inlet tightly enough to provide a sealed connection and prevent inadvertent disconnections, the hose often becomes difficult to remove.
Another attempted solution uses a locking member to positively couple the hose to the air inlet. This is also not without problems. With purely friction fit, manufacturing tolerances for the tapered hose end are typically relaxed, since the tapered end is inserted until it mates with the air inlet. However, if a locking member is added to lock the hose to the air inlet, manufacturing tolerances become significantly more critical. If placement of the locking member is off in one direction, the tapered end of the hose may not mate with the air inlet when the lock is engaged. On the other hand, if placement of the locking member is off in the opposite direction, friction between the tapered end of the hose and the air inlet may prevent inserting the hose end far enough to allow the locking member to engage. Tightening tolerances such that the tapered hose end mates with the air inlet in a sealed manner, while allowing the locking member to positively lock the hose in place can significantly increase design and manufacturing costs.
Thus, there remains a need for a hose lock that is quick and easy to lock and unlock with a secure connection that prevents leakage. The present invention provides for a hose lock that addresses shortcomings associated with the prior art.
In one aspect of the present invention, a device for connecting a hose to a wet/dry vacuum includes a first member having first and second ends, with the first end adapted to be coupled to the hose. A receptacle has first and second ends. The first end of the receptacle is adapted to be mounted to the article, and the second end is adapted to be connected to the second end of the first member. A locking member is mounted on one of the first member or the receptacle for securing the first member to the receptacle, and at least one sealing member is situated about one of the second end of the first member or the second end of the receptacle. In one embodiment, the sealing member is integrally formed with the first member and is adapted to seal against an external surface of the receptacle. In another embodiment, the sealing member comprises a sealing ring removably mounted on the first member or the receptacle.
An alternative embodiment of this invention is an adapter for adapting a friction-based vacuum connection receptacle, as disclosed in the prior art, such that that it can be used with the hose-locking mechanism of this invention. The adapter has first and second ends. A first end is constructed such that the adapter can be affixed to the friction-based connecting receptacle of a vacuum. A second end of the adapter is constructed so as to be able to connect to a first member, (such as on the end of a hose) having a locking member, as described above.
In another aspect of the present invention a wet/dry vac includes a collection tub, a lid coupled to the collection tub and a powerhead assembly operable to create suction within the collection tub. An inlet port is disposed in one of the lid or the collection tub and a receptacle is coupled to the inlet port. A connection member has first and second ends, with the first end adapted to be coupled to the hose. At least one sealing member is mounted on at least one of the receptacle and the first end of the connection member. The sealing member may be integrally formed with the receptacle or the connection member, or the sealing member may comprise a sealing ring that is removably mounted to the connection member or the receptacle. A locking member is provided for securing the connection member to the receptacle member. In one embodiment, the sealing member seals with an external surface of the receptacle. In another embodiment, the sealing member seals with an internal surface of the receptacle in addition to, or in place of, the external seal.